First e-crime novel looks like a winner

Colchester novelist Jim DeFilippi has electronically published "The Family Farm", his first novel to be set in Vermont, on his website, jimdefilippi.com, where it can be downloaded by readers for free.

Although DeFilippi has lived in Vermont since 1974, his previous crime novels have all been set around the New York City area, where he grew up. His books have been called "suspenseful, often hilarious," by Newsday and "excellently paced and imaginative told," by Publishers Weekly.

"I've always had an easier time reconstructing New York City speech and attitudes than those of my adopted state," DeFilippi said recently. "I've been working on 'The Family Farm' on and off for 30 years. I think I finally got it right."

The realistic novel concerns a Vermont farmer who brings violence and tragedy upon himself and his family through his inability to change or to give up even a small portion of his farm or his life.

DeFilippi's novels are also on sale at Amazon's Kindle store, for electronic book readers.